Cake-lifting and removing tool



W M R E m M JM H mlllf INVENTOR. NEW/W d. MCDERMGYT Patented Nov. 1,1949 CAKE-LIFTING AND BEMOVING 1300L vHenry J. McDermott. Collingdale,Pa., assigner to American Vile Del.,

ose Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application July 23', 1946,Serial No. 885.744 21 Claims. (Cl. 57-76) This invention relates to adevice for lifting annular packages, such as those formed of woundfilamentary material. It is particularly adapted to the removal of rayoncakes from centrifugal spinning buckets.

It is a primary object of the present invention y to provide acontractible tool or device which is adapted to grip the interior of acake and is Y adapted to be centered within the cake. A further objectis to provide a contractible device which is adapted to grip theinterior of a cake with a force which may be independent of theexertions of the individual operator. It is a further object of thepresent invention to provide a form of tool or device for lifting orremoving rayon cakes in which the gripping force is mainly determined bythe weight of the cake itself but can be further augmented by theoperators exertions as desired. Further objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the drawing and the description thereofhereinafter.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of preferred embodiments of theinvention- Figure 1 is an elevational cross-section illustrating oneform of the device in operative position within a spinning bucketcontaining a rayon cake,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through a modicatiom Figure 3 is anelevational cross-section of a modification,

Figure 4 is a side View of the device of Figure 3 alone, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the device of Figure 3 in operative relationwith the spinning bucket cover.

In general, the invention comprises a contractible gripping meansadapted to engage the inner periphery of the cake, and supporting meansfor the gripping means of such a character as to allow contraction orexpansion of the gripping means when desired. Preferably, the supportingmeans is provided with means for centering the device Within the annularpackage, for which purpose the centering means may have a part adaptedto engage a part associated with the container such as the upper rim orthe cover thereof. The more detailed construction for accomplishing thepreferred objects of the invention, such as that of assuring that thegripping means engages the cake with a force independent of theexertions of the operator are more specifically described hereinafterwith reference to the illustrated embodiments.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figure 1, the device generallycomprises a plurality of gripping elements 2 adapted to engage theinternal periphery of an annular package, such as the cake of rayon 3shown in the spinning bucket 4. The device comprises the centralsupporting means or structure 5 with respect to which thegripping`elements 2 are mounted thereabout at circumferentially spacedintervals.- The mounting means for the gripping elements comprisinglinks 6 provides for swinging movements of the gripping elements from anupper inwardly disposed position lndicated by the dotted lines and alower outwardly disposed position shown in solid lines in which theelements 2 grip the internal windings of the cake. i

The weight of the gripping elements 2 alone suilces to cause them toengage the cake windings in the position shown and, as the device islifted, the weight of the cake tends to increase the gripping force to adefinite maximum depending upon the weight, size and othercharacteristics of the cake.

As shown', the links 6 are pivotally mounted on a. common spider or hubmember 'I carried upon a rod 8. The rod and spider may be moved vrelative to the sleeve 9 through the slots Ill of which the links 6extend. Such'axial movement of the spider 1 relative to the sleeve 9 maybe accomplished by manipulation of the hand knob II carried on the endof the rod 8 projecting endwise of the supporting structure and slidablyfitting within a cap I2 secured to one end of the sleeve 9. A collar I 3may be provided to-limit upward movement of the rod 8.

The members 2 may be so heavily weighted as to normally fall by gravityinto the position shown Where they engage the internal periphery of thecake. In such an arrangement, manual pressure on the knob II inopposition to a lifting pressure under the ange I4 of the cap I2 servesto retract the gripping elements 2 into the dotted line position. Thelower ends I5 of the slots I0 serve as detents and cause upward andinward swinging of'the links 6 upon depression of the knob II relativeto flange I4. This retracted position facilitates the introduction ofthe device into the space within the annular package. To lift the cakeafter insertion of the device therein,

' it is merely necessary to release ange I4 and lift knob II, the cake 3by its own weight assuring adequate gripping pressure against theelements 2. The links 6 even in the gripping position are vinclinedupwardly and outwardly from their pivotal connections to the hub I,thereby constituting a toggle linkage and assuring such gripping actionas the result of the weight of the cake.

To facilitate centering of the device within the cake, the device may beprovided with a disk-like projection I4a (herein shown integral with thecap I2) to engage the inside wall of the upper rim of the bucket. Forthe same purpose, a flange I4b may be provided. The diameter of the angevI4b should be a freely sliding fit within the center opening of abucket cover such as that shown in Figure 3 hereinbelow. Either orbothof the cen- 3 tering ilanges Ma and Mh may be omitted depending uponwhether the cover is removed from or left in position on the bucketbefore insertion of the device or reliance on manual skill of theAoperator is desired.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section through a device similar to thatof Figure 1 in all respects except that a torsion spring I6 is providedto normally urge the elements 2v outwardly. In this embodiment, thechances of the link and elements 2 sticking in retracted position areminimized. The spring itself may have some additive effect to thegripping action of the elements 2 against the internal windings of thecake but this is not essential.

In the embodiment of Figures 3 to 5, the supporting structure comprisesa cylindrical member I1 within the bore of which a spider or hub I8 isslidably mounted. The hub is secured to a rod I9 extending through a cap2|] and having a knob 2| at the free end thereof. A coil spring '22surrounding the rod I9 bears against the cap 20 and the hub I8, therebyurging the latter into the position shown in Figure 3.

The cylindrical member I1 is provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced recesses 23; and slits 24 provideintercommunication between the bottoms of the recesses 23 and the boreof the cylindrical member I1. A plurality of gripping elements 25 whichmay take the form of longitudinal shoes, preferably provided withtransverse ridges 26 for increasing the gripping force, are pivotallysecured to links 21 at 28. The links 21 extend through the slits 24 totheir points of pivotal securement 29 upon the hub I8. The lower end 30of the slit 26 serves as an abutment or detent to engage the links 21and cause retraction of the gripping elements 25 into the recesses 23when the spring 22 is free to move the hub I8 into the position shown inFigure 3.

The device is provided with a handle 3I in the form of a U-shaped loopsurrounding the knob 2I carried by the rod I9. This arrangement enablesthe operator to grip the handle 3I in his hand while placing hisforenger and middle finger beneath the ange of knob 2 I. Lifting theknob with his two lingers, the operator disengages links 21 from theabutments 36 thereby allowing the gripping elements 25 to fall freelyunder the influence of gravity into engagement with the internal surfaceof the package.

As in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, the toggle linkage is suchthat the gripping force is increased under the influence of the weightof the package to a predetermined maximum depending upon thecharacteristics of the package. The links 21 are inclined upwardly andoutwardly at all times up to and including the position of engagement ofthe package by the gripping elements 25. After the gripping elements orshoes 25 have once engaged the Vcake,'the operator can, if he sodesires, exert additional force between the elements 25, cake 3, cover32, and cap 20. By so doing, he may tilt the loaded device without lossof grip on the cake.

This embodiment of Figures 3 to 5 may be utilized for unlocking a boxlid of the type shown in the U. S. patent of Henry J. McDermott andRichard W. Stanley, No. 2,325,787, August 3, 1943. As shown in Figures 3and 5, the bucket cover 32 is provided with a plurality of fingers 33pivoted within an annular recess 34 at the outer periphery of the cover.The spinning bucket 35 is provided with a groove 36 adapted toco-operate with the fingers which by virtue of their being eccentricallyweighted about their pivots 31 are thrown outwardly by centrifugal forceinto engagement within the groove 36, thereby forcing pin 38 to protrudeinternally of the central opening 39 of the cover. The external slopedvsurface 40 at the bottom ofthe cylindrical member I1 acts as a. cam toforce the pins 3B against the tails 4| of the fingers, therebyretracting them from the groove 36 in the spinning bucket and releasingthe cover when the device is inserted into the central opening 39thereof. When utilized in this fashion to release alatched cover, thecover is lifted out of the bucket along with the package.

The cap 26 secured to the lifting device may also serve to stop rotationof the spinning bucket when the device is inserted therein prior tocomplete stopping thereof. For this purpose, the cap 20 is provided withan outwardly projecting ange 26a adapted to be pressed against the cover32,

which cover is thereby pressed into engagement with its seat 42 in therim of the bucket.

The device or tool herein shown and described can be used for lifting anannular package of any type whatsoever and transporting it from onestage to another. Advantageously, the device may be employed forremoving cakes of rayon from spinning buckets as more particularlyillustrated herein. When employed for this purpose, it may also, asillustrated, be adapted to stop the spinning bucket as well as to unlocka cover adapted to be latched to the bucket under the influence ofcentrifugal force. Alternatively, the bucket may be allowed to come to acomplete rest before inserting the lifting device. Similarly, the covermay be removed from the bucket manually or by a separate device prior tothe introduction of the cake-lifting device herein disclosed.

As pointed out briefly hereinabove, the devices of the present inventionexert a gripping force upon the internal surface of the package which inthe case of Figure 1 is entirely independent of any manual exertions onthe part of the operator and in the case of Figure 3 may besubstantially independent of such exertions but at will can be augmentedso that the loaded device can be tilted through any angle from thevertical shown without slipping of the cake relative to the grippingelements. As pointed out, the package itself by virtue of its weightcontrols the maximum gripping force. This assures the lifting or removalof the package without distortion or damage thereof.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfaces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, supporting means, said grippingelements being mounted about the supporting means freely swingable underthe influence of gravity from upper inwardly disposed positions near thesupporting means to lower outwardly disposed positions in engagementwith the internal periphery of the package, and resilient means normallyopposing the outward swinging of said elements.

2. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfaces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, a supporting structure adapted tobe inserted into the space surrounded by the winding, said structurecomprising two members relatively movable in a direction generallyparallel to the axis of the package. said gripping elements beingattached by links to the supporting structure swingably to and fromupper inwardly disposed positions near the supporting means and loweroutwardly disposed positions in engagement with the internal peripheryof the package, one of said members having portions engaging the linksto prevent outward swinging ofthe gripping elements upon relative motionof said members in one direction, said portions disengaging the links topermit free outward swinging of the gripping elements under theiniiuence of gravity upon relative motion of said members in theopposite direction, said members each having a handle projecting endwiseof the structure to facilitate imparting relative movement to saidmembers, and resilient means normally urging said members into theirrelative position in which outward swinging of the gripping elements isprevented.

3. A device for lifting an annular wound package comprising a pluralityof gripping elements, supporting means, a link secured to each elementand pivotally connecting the element to the supporting means for freeswingable motion to and from upper inwardly disposed positions near thesupporting means and lower outwardly disped positions in engagement withthe internal periphery of the package, each of said links being inclinedfrom its connection to the supporting means upwardly toits connectionwith the gripping element.

4. A device for lifting an annular wound package comprising a pluralityof gripping elements, supporting means, a link secured to each elementand pivotally connecting the element to the supporting means for freeswingable motion to and from upper inwardly disposed positions near thesupporting means and lower outwardly disposed positions in engagementwith the internal periphery of the package, each of said links beinginclined from its connection to the supporting means upwardly andoutwardly to its connection with the gripping element.

5. A device for lifting an annular wound package comprising a pluralityof gripping elements, a supporting structure adapted to be inserted intothe space surrounded by the winding, said structure comprising twomembers relatively movable in a direction generally parallel to the axisof the package, links secured tothe element pivotally connecting them toone of the members for free swingable motion relative thereto, the otherof the members having portions engaging the links to prevent outwardswinging of the gripping elements upon'relative motion in one direction,said portions disengaging the links to permit free outward swinging ofthe gripping elements under the influence of gravity into engagementwith the internal periphery of the package.

6. A device for lifting an annular wound package comprising a pluralityof gripping elements, a supporting structure adapted to be inserted intothe space surrounded by the winding, said structure comprising twomembers relatively movable in a direction generally parallel to the axisof the package, links secured to the elements pivotally connecting themto one of the members for free swingable motion relative thereto, theother of the members having portions engaging the links to preventoutward swinging of the gripping elements upon relative motion in onedirection, said portions disengaging the links to permit free outwardswinging of the gripping elements under the inuence of gravity intoengagement with the internal periphery of the package, and resilientmeans normally urging said members into their relative position in whichoutward swinging of the gripping elements is prevented.

7. A device for removing an annular wound package from a spinning bucketcomprising a plurality of gripping elements having outer surfacesadapted to frictionally engage the internal periphery of the package, asupporting structure adapted to beinserted into the space surrounded bythe winding, said structure comprising two members relatively movable ina direction generally parallel to the axis of the package, said grippingelements being attached by links to the supporting structure swingablyto and from upper inwardly disposed positions and lower outwardlydisposed positions in engagement with the internal pheriphery of thepackage, one of said members having portions engaging the links toprevent outward swinging of the gripping elements upon relative motionof said members in one direction, said portions disengaging the links toprevent free outward swinging of the gripping elements under theinfluence of gravity upon relative motion of said members in theopposite direction, a cover for the spinning bucket having a centralOpening through which the lifting device is adapted to be inserted,latch means in the cover adapted to lock the cover to the bucket underthe influence of centrifugal force, and cam means on the supportingstructure adapted to co-operate with the latch means in the cover tounlatch the same upon insertion of the device into the bucket.

8.- A device forlifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfaces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, a sleeve, a rod axially movablewithin the sleeve, a hub carried by the rod, axially extending slots inthe sleeve spaced circumferentially with respect thereto, and linkspivotally connected to the gripping elements extending through the slotsand pivotally connected to the hub on the rod.

9. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfaces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, a sleeve, a rod axially movablewithin the sleeve, a hub carried by the rod, axially extending slots inthe sleeve spaced circumferentially with respect thereto, linkspivotally connected to the gripping elements extending through the slotsand pivotally connected to the hub on the rod, and spring means urgingthe hub downwardly to cause the links to engage the lower ends of saidslots in the sleeve and thereby to be retracted toward the sleeve.

10. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfaces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, a sleeve, a rod axially movablewithin the sleeve, a. hub carried by the rod, axially extending slots inthe sleeve spaced circumferentially with respect thereto, said sleevehaving recesses in its outer periphery in communication with the slots,links pivotally connected to the gripping elements extending through theslots and pivotally connected to the hub on the rod, spring means urgingthe hub downwardly to cause the links to engage the lower ends of saidslots in the sleeve and thereby to be retracted into the recesses in thesleeve.

11. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a plurality ofgripping elements having outer surfces adapted to frictionally engagethe internal periphery of the package, av'supporting structurecomprising a cylindrical member, a plate at one end of the supportingstructure having a central bore, a rod slidably mounted in said bore, aknob on the end of the rod projecting outwardly from said plate, alooped handle projecting from that end of the supporting structureprovided with a plate, said handle extending around the knob, a carriersecured to the rod and mounting means for pivotally securing thegripping elements to said carrier whereby said gripping elements areswingable to and from upper inwardly disposed positions near thesupporting means and lower outwardly disposed positions in engagementwith the internal periphery of the package in response to relativemovements in opposite directions of the looped handle and the knob, andresilient means normally urging the cylindrical member and the rod intotheir relative positions in which outward swinging of the grippingelements is prevented.

12. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a supportingstructure comprising two members relatively movable in the direction oftheir length, a plurality of gripping elements having gripping surfacesextending longitudinally of the structure, and said elements beingmounted about the supporting structure freely swingable under theinfluence of their own weight independently of said two members fromupper inwardly disposed positions near the supporting means to loweroutwardly disposed positions in engagement with the internal peripheryof the package.

13. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a supportingstructure comprising two members relatively movable in the direction oftheir length,.a plurality of gripping elements having gripping surfacesextending longitudinally of the structure, and said elements beingconnected by links to the supporting structure swingably to and fromupper inwardly disposed positions near the supporting means and loweroutwardly disposed positions in engagement with the internal peripheryof the package, one of said members having portions engaging the linksto prevent outward swinging of the gripping elements upon relativemotion of said members in one direction, said portions disengaging thelinks to permit free outward swinging of the gripping elements under theiniluence of gravity upon relative motion of said members in theopposite direction.

14. 'A device as in claim 13 wherein one of the members of thesupporting structure has a handle projecting endwse of the structure tofacilitate imparting relative movement to the members.

15. A device as in claim 13 wherein each member of the supportingstructure has a handle projecting endwse of the structure to facilitateimparting relative movement to said members.

16. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a supportingstructure comprising two members relatively movable in the direction oftheir length, a plurality of gripping elements having gripping surfacesextending generally longitudinally of the structure and adapted tofrictionally engage the internal periphery of the package, a pluralityof links each pivotally secured at one end to one of the members andpivotally connected to one of the gripping elements at an upper endportion, and said gripping elements being mounted about the supportingstructure freely swingable under the influence of gravity from upperinwardly disposed positions in engagement with the internal periphery ofthe package, and resilient means normally opposing the outward swing ofsaid elements.

17. A device for lifting an annular package comprising a supportingstructure comprising two members relatively movable in the direction oftheir length, a plurality of gripping elements having gripping Vsurfacesextending generally longitudinally of the structure and adapted tofrictionally engage the internal periphery of the package, a pluralityof links each pivotally secured at one end to one of the members andpivotally connected to one of the gripping elements at an upper endportion, the other of said members having portions engaging the linkmeans to prevent outward swinging of the gripping elements upon relativemotion of said members in one direction, said portions disengaging thelink means to permit free outward swinging of the gripping elementsunder the influence of gravity upon relative motion of said members inthe opposite direction.

18. A device as in claim 17 wherein at least one of said structuremembers has a handle projecting endwse of the structure to facilitateimparting relative movement to said members.

19. A device as in claim 17 wherein each of said structure members has ahandle projecting endwse of the structure to facilitate impartingrelative movement to said members.

20. A device as in claim 1'1 wherein each of said structure members hasa handle projecting endwse of the structure to facilitate impartingrelative movement to said members, and resilient means normally urgingsaid members into their relative positions in which outward swinging ofthe gripping elements is prevented.

21. A device as in claim 17 which has a cover for a spinning buckethaving a central opening through which the lifting device is adapted tobe inserted, latch means in the cover adapted to lock the cover to thebucket under the influence of centrifugal force, and cam means on thesupporting structure adapted to co-operate with the latch means in thecover to unlatch the same upon insertion of the device into the bucket.

HENRY J. MCDERMOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

